Information regarding the business sector.
Bolivia ranks 128 among 161 countries to do business in 2019, according to Forbes. The American publication states that Bolivia is a resource-rich country with strong growth attributed to captive markets for gas exports, Brazil and Argentina. However, it remains one of the least developed countries in the region because of state-directed policies that deter investment.
We wish you a very Happy Holiday season and a peaceful and prosperous New Year from everyone at Bolivia Económica.
We will be back in January.
15% of the second year-end bonus have to be used to buy national products, established the supreme decree that regulates the payment of the benefit. According to the decree, a mobile wallet system will be established to allow the workers to buy national products, but the will have to provide their mobile numbers. The system will be optional for the private sector but the companies will need to negotiate an optional system with their workers.
YLB & ACI Systems were created yesterday by the representants of Bolivia and Germany. Through the joint venture agreement, Bolivia will provide the lithium commodity while the German company will provide the technology to create lithium batteries. The operation will only cover 0.4% of the total area of the Salar de Uyuni that reaches 10,000 square kilometres.
Contraband of alcoholic beverages costs Bolivia $ 220 million per year, warned the president of the National Beverage Chamber (Canabe), Karina Herbas. Each week 2,000 bottles of alcoholic drinks issued illegally are seized in the country.
Bolivia will export its first shipment of quinoa to China through the Peruvian port of Ilo, announced president Evo Morales. Bolivia has a concession in Ilo, and president Morales said that 40 tonnes of the traditional Andean cereal will be sent to China this week. He added that the use of the Peruvian port will help to avoid the delays and problems that Bolivian exports suffer in Chile. Morales stated that although the volume is low, it is the first effort to open the Chinese market.
Cerveceria Boliviana Nacional (CBN) and Embol Coca-Cola were listed as the most prominent firms in Bolivia by MERCO Empresas, an international firm that analyses the reputation of companies in Spain and Latin America. According to MERCO, CBN is the company with the best reputation in Bolivia, followed by Embol. In the area of corporate social responsibility and corporative governance, Embol heads the ranking followed by the Cooperative Rural de Electrificacion (CRE) and CBN.
A total of 22 retailers that will show 60 models and sugar mills that produce bio-ethanol will attend the 4th car-fair in Santa Cruz. Bio-ethanol began to be commercialised las 1 November for the first time in Bolivia.
The Bolivian government has invested Bs.50 million in Mallku Khota mine since its reversion to the state in 2013. However, the Mining Minister, Cesar Navarro, noted that the project needs an injection of $US620 million to allow the exploitation of 15,000 to 40,000 tonnes of minerals per day. He added that the government consider a joint venture for the project.
San Buenaventura Sugarmill (EASBA) could invest $US4 million in the production of bio-ethanol, according to its manager, Ramiro Lizondo. The investment would be destined to the construction a dehydration plant with a capability of at least 200,000 litres per day. Enough to allow the company to compete in the biofuels market in Bolivia.
